Taken and Alone
by Zoey Skywalker 11
Summary: Obi-Wan's first mission with Qui-Gon does not go as planned. Pre-TPM. Slight AU.
1. The First Mission

Taken and Alone

Title-Taken and Alone

Author-Zoey Skywalker 11

Summary-Obi-Wan's first mission does not exactly go as planned.

Rating-PG

Time Frame-Pre-TPM-Obi-Wan is 7.

Spoliers-I don't think so.

Reviews-Sure. But please be nice. It is my first Fanfic, SW or otherwise.

Disclaimer-The world of Star Wars belongs to the God known as George Lucas. I only live in the world, I don't own it.

Author's Note #1-This story takes place when Obi-Wan is 7. As much as I adore the JA books it does not follow them. I

needed him to be younger. However, there are brief mentions of Qui-Gon's former Padawan, Xanatos, who turned to the

Dark Side.

A/N #2-I self-betaed the story, and I did my best, so try not to be too harsh about that.

**Taken and Alone**

Chapter 1-The First Mission

It was supposed to be a simple mission, Qui-Gon reflected. Larbec was a simple, small world with little in the way of anything. It was sparsely populated, with little technology of any kind. The Larbecians lived in small villages that populated the thick forest that covered the planet. The Larbecians were generally a peaceful race, with the tribes, living together. The tribes did not always get along, but they always respected each other. There was no central government, per se, but rather a Council where each tribe sent one elder to represent his or her tribe. This system worked well for the people of this planet for centuries. However, a conflict broke out two months ago. A ground quake shook the eastern sector of the planet and multiple landslides occurred because of this. While damages to the actual villages were somewhat minimal, the village boundaries were destroyed. After the villages were repaired, the Council of Elders met to discuss the recreation of the boundaries. The two villages affected by this were the Traln and the Morillo. Unfortunately, the two of these tribes were not ever on the best of terms and an agreement could not be reached internally. The Council of Elders collectively decided to contact the Jedi Council to get an outside mediator in to negotiate the creation of the new boundary line. The Jedi agreed to help in this matter and decided to send the great negotiator and Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn on the mission.

Normally, this would have been a mission well beneath that of the great Jedi Master. The Larbecians were peaceful and, while they could not reach a decision, they could in no way be considered dangerous. Both sides seemed very willing to negotiate; they just could not reach a compromise without aid from the outside. Simple, when compared to the negotiation missions that Qui-Gon usually got, where it was a stretch to get both sides in the same room, let alone talk to one another.

But there was a simple reason why the great Qui-Gon Jinn took this mission. And the reason was a small boy, with reddish-blond hair and big bluish-greenish eyes that could melt the coldest heart in the galaxy. His name was Obi-Wan Kenobi and he was the newest Padawan to Qui-Gon. At only seven years old, Kenobi was only just starting on the path that would lead him to be a Jedi Knight. He had only been a Padawan for five weeks. Prior to that he was an initiate, living solely within the walls of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. Excluding the short day trips that he had taken around Coruscant, this had been Obi-Wan's first time outside of the Temple since he arrived at the tender age of nine months. Because he was only seven, Obi-Wan did not have the training needed for a difficult mission. As it was, Obi-Wan was the youngest Padawan to be taken in the last three centuries! The team of Jinn and Kenobi had plenty of time for the difficult missions, where there would be danger lurking around every corner. There was no need to rush into anything that the boy was not ready for. However, as a Padawan, one of Obi-Wan's duties was to go on missions with his master so that he could get firsthand experience on being a Field Jedi. Both Qui-Gon and the Jedi Council believed that this would be a good introduction, without endangering the boy.

And how wrong we were! thought Qui-Gon with a sigh. He could still remember the excitement on the small boy's face when he told him that they were going to be leaving on Obi-Wan's first mission…

_"Obi-Wan. Can you come in here, please?" Qui-Gon had just finished getting his new assignment from the Council and the necessary information from his best friend, Tahl. Walking into the small apartment that he shared with the boy, Qui-Gon found that he was very excited about this new mission. In fact, it had been years since he had been this excited about a mission. It was amazing how this one small boy could bring so much light in to his life. _

_  
As if on cue, that small boy ran out of his room at the far end of the apartment. Qui-Gon, knowing what the boy wanted, bent down as Obi-Wan leapt into his arms. _

_  
"Hi, Master. How was your meeting with the Council?" Obi-Wan asked as he wrapped his small arms around his Master's neck. _

_  
"It went very well, little one," Qui-Gon said as he walked over to the couch, Obi-Wan still protected in his arms. "How was your science class?"_

_  
Obi-Wan's smile just got bigger. "It went really good, Master. Me and Bant were partners and we learned about energy and how much force it takes to move something. I mean, not THE FORCE, but like the science force and we were pushing stuff around and figuring out how hard you had to push it to get it move at the right speed and it was really cool. Except for when we were using the scooter things because I was one of the people on the scooter thing and we had to run me into things and it kinda hurt and I scraped my hand on the floor, but Master Fyin-Jounh put a bandage on it and now it all better. See."_

_  
Qui-Gon just smiled as Obi-Wan showed him the neon blue strip that decorated him palm. It always amazed him how much Obi-Wan could say was without taking a breath. This was a common practice for his young Padawan when he was excited. It was slightly immature for a seven-year old and a Jedi at that, but somehow Qui-Gon could not bring himself to reprimand the child. _

_  
"And, you know what, Master? Tomorrow we are going to drop stuff and see how long that takes. Isn't that cool?"_

_  
"Yes, Obi-Wan. That is very cool, but I am afraid that you will not be going to science class tomorrow."_

_  
It was at that that the smiling face, fell. "But why, Master? I'm not sick and I didn't do anything bad and I wanna go." _

_  
"I know that you are not sick Padawan and you have been a very good boy lately. So good that the Council and I have decided that it is time for you to go on you very first mission."_

_  
Completely forgetting about science class, Obi-Wan's face broke into the most wonderful smile that Qui-Gon had ever seen. A mix between surprise and joy, Obi-Wan's face lit up like a glow rod, eyes sparkling blue. "Really! I can go on a Jedi mission with you! That is the coolest thing ever. When are we leaving? Remember I have to say good-bye to Bant, Garen and Reeft. Oh, do we get to take a starship. Can I drive? I have taken my classes and you can sit with me!! I have to go pack!"_

_  
At that Obi-Wan jumped off of his Master's lap and ran to his room. Qui-Gon chuckling, followed Obi-Wan to his room. When he got to the door, Obi-Wan already had half of his room somehow crammed into his book bag. _

_  
While it was certainly amusing to watch his Padawan go at a mile a minute, the master knew that it had to stop. Obi-Wan needed to learn the proper way to get ready for a mission. Plus, the ship would not be here for another three hours and at this rate Obi-Wan would be fast asleep by then, having burned up all of his energy. _

_  
As Obi-Wan ran from his desk to his closet for the twentieth time in 90 seconds, Qui-Gon stepped forward and grabbed him, hoisting him high in the air. Immediately, Obi-Wan started to struggle, caused by a mix of purpose and hyperactivity. _

_  
"Calm down, Obi-Wan. We have three hours before the ship arrives. Now, do you want to learn the Jedi way to pack and prepare for a mission?" _

_  
"Yes!" Obi-Wan cried. _

_  
"OK, then." Putting the small boy down, Qui-Gon showed Obi-Wan what he would need for the mission, packing it in one of his old survival packs. Qui-Gon then let his small Padawan help him pack what he would need. Qui-Gon did not believe that this would be a long mission, two weeks at the most. But he packed enough clothes and supplies for both of them to last over a month in the field. Just in case, Qui-Gon thought. While, the two packed, Qui-Gon also reviewed what the boy would need to know for the mission, along with the major facts of the negotiation and his role in the mission. The boy listened with rapt attention throughout the long talk. By the time, it was time to leave, Qui-Gon believed that his Padawan was ready for the upcoming mission, having a fully packed survival pack and a full set of knowledge on what he needed to know when he was on Larbec. _

_When the ship arrived, Obi-Wan was back to his overly hyperactive self. Hopping all around the landing pad, he looked at the incoming silver ship with an interest that Qui-Gon had never before seen in the child before. Qui-Gon just looked at the child with a gleam in his eye. When the ship arrived, he just took his jumping Padawan by the hand and led him to the ship. _

Unfortunately for Obi-Wan, this ship had been sent by the Senate. Larbec was very important to the trade routes of the Senate, who had sent up numerous fueling stations on a corner of the planet. In return, the planet got a stipend and protection from the Senate. It was an agreement that worked for both parties, but with the peace of the planet in danger, there was also a danger of this agreement falling apart. Therefore, while the mission was a simple, routine mission it of high importance and it apparently warranted a Senate ship. Complete with a pilot.

_Obi-Wan was not thrilled when he found out that there was no chance of him piloting the ship, but he quickly got over this when he saw the size of the ship. It took all of his self-control, but Obi-Wan managed to hold relatively still while Qui-Gon introduced them both to the pilot and the co-pilot. He was even relatively calm while the co-pilot gave the two a tour of the ship. Qui-Gon could sense the excitement and the hyperactivity through the bond that the two shared through the Force, but he did not let it show on the surface. Even though he is only seven, he is well on his way to becoming a Jedi Qui-Gon thought with pride. Once the tour had concluded, the Jedi were shown to the quarters that they would be using for the duration of the flight. It was going to be long flight for his hyperactive Padawan, as it was quite a few parsecs away. The trip was expected to take about two and half days. A long time in a cramped ship, but Qui-Gon was sure that they would manage._

_The next three days were very trying for the patience of the seven-year old, but they were educational. By the time they got on the ship, it was already close to the late meal, so they quickly stowed their belongings and ate a meal, served by a service droid. The meal was quite good for food served on a ship and the warm food and soft lights soon put the exhausted Padawan to sleep. Qui-Gon carried the boy back to his cabin, laid him on his sleep couch, pulled off his boots and belt, and covered him the warm thermal blanket. After a somewhat lengthy meditation session, Qui-Gon prepared to sleep and was soon out, lulled to sleep by the steady breathing on the couch next to him. _

_The next two days passed without much event. Qui-Gon spent a great deal of time practicing meditation and lightsaber techniques with his apprentice. The two also spent some time relaxing, playing games and reading stories. While Obi-Wan did show some signs of hyperactivity, he was holding up quite well. He was not bouncing off the walls and only showed signs of restlessness during some of their longer meditations or when he had nothing to focus on. _

_Only when the ship landed on Larbec did Obi-Wan start to truly show his hyperactive seven-year old self. As he did on the landing platform when the two were leaving Coruscant, Obi-Wan started to bounce up and down, completely unable to control his excitement. _

"_Are you ready, Padawan?" Qui-Gon asked with a smile, already knowing to answer._

"_Yes, Master. My very first mission!!" _

Looking down at his Padawan, Qui-Gon saw a grin that had spread over his Padawan's face, the gleam in his bluish eyes and the excitement that lay beneath…

Looking back, it was so hard to believe that that only took place three days ago. It seemed like an eternity. Everything had gone so wrong, so fast and Qui-Gon was still trying to comprehend everything that had happened. The negotiations had started soon after the ship arrived, with the two Jedi only getting enough time to stow their belongings in their temporary quarters. The next seven hours had been spent in intense negotiations, with both tribes heavily arguing for their rights to the land. Qui-Gon had tried to negotiate an end to this as calmly as possible, but the situation was becoming more volatile by the comment. Qui-Gon pushed for an end to the day, as he believed it would help the elders to calm their thoughts and mouths before they resumed the talks, but they refused, wanting to put in a full day. Unfortunately, a full day on Larbec was nine o'clock evening standard time and they had been going straight since eleven o'clock morning standard time. The best that Qui-Gon could do was an hour evening meal break. Taking his Padawan back to their quarters, the two ate the simple meal that some of the Larbecian aids had provided for them. Qui-Gon was very impressed at how well his young ward held up during the negotiations. He had been told that his role would be to be silent and still, stand next to Qui-Gon and learn as much as possible. The Jedi Master had been afraid that Obi-Wan would not be able to keep himself in check, especially when it became clear that the negotiations were going to last a long time. But the child had done extraordinarily well, never letting his quiet façade slip. However, the constant control that the child had maintained for so long, took its toll on the young body, as Obi-Wan was starting to fall asleep over his food. Qui-Gon decided that that was enough for his Padawan for one day, especially when they would probably have to do it all again tomorrow. Obi-Wan had fought the idea of going to bed and staying away from his first mission, but eventually he gave in. The Padawan was tried and Qui-Gon had to believe that his Padawan was not as enthusiastic about missions as he had been the previous day. It probably had something to do with the long hours he spent watching old people argue, Qui-Gon thought. After the two had eaten, Obi-Wan went to get ready for bed, while his Master cleaned up from the evening meal. Just before Qui-Gon left to go back to the negotiations, he tucked his young ward in bed, covering him with a thick, woven blanket. Obi-Wan fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. His Master just smiled as he gave Obi-Wan a quick kiss on the forehead and subtle Force suggestion, pushing his young ward into a deeper sleep to ensure that he would remain asleep until Qui-Gon could return. Locking the door to the cabin, Qui-Gon returned to the negotiations, all of his thoughts focused on the two tribes and how their problem could be resolved.


	2. Panic

Taken and Alone

OK. Here is the second part of my first fanfic. There will be four chapters total and it will, hopefully, be finished in the next week or so.

By the way, thank you so much to my reviewers.

**skywalker05**-Thank you for reading. Also, thank you for the compliment about my writing that meant a lot. The hyper Obi was a one-time thing. There was a reason for it, as you will see in later chapters. The AU part of the story technically already happened. It goes against the JA books, so I put it as a slight AU. Finally, looking back I totally agree with you about having more foreshadowing. There was less than I wanted, because I, personally, was not clear on what was going to happen. I have a tendency to change major events of the story halfway through, so I did not want to put in hints that would be inaccurate later. Thank you for all of constructive criticism and I hope that enjoy the rest.

**dimyavie**-Thank you so much. Keep reading there will be more bonding later.

And on with the story:

Chapter 2-Panic

Tired and frustrated, Qui-Gon returned to the cabin just over two hours later. The tribes were no farther along than they were at the beginning of the day and the last two hours had only heightened the tensions between the Traln and the Morillo. The negotiations were set to begin the next morning at nine o'clock standard time. They would then run for twelve hours, with two one-hour breaks, one for the mid-day meal and the second for the evening meal. Hopefully, with a little more progress Qui-Gon had mused.

As Qui-Gon approached the cabin, he sensed that something was very wrong. The front door was open, even though he had locked the door when he had left two hours ago. Racing through the open door, he ran to where he had left his sleeping Padawan. When he made it to bedroom, his heart stopped. The bed was a mess, blankets and sheets on the floor. He searched the rest of the cabin, but the result was the same. His Padawan was nowhere to be found.

Quickly, reaching out to the Force, Qui-Gon searched the training bond that he shared with the boy. Nothing could have prepared him for the nothingness that he felt along the bond. Nothing. No emotion. No Force signature. It was like his Padawan had ceased to exist. It made his blood run cold.

Sinking to the floor, Qui-Gon tried to calm his racing heart. Someone had taken his Padawan. The bright-eyed child who had given his life a purpose again. Gone. He knew that his Padawan was not dead. That he would have sensed. Even during the negotiations, he kept a small piece of his awareness on the training bond. Obi-Wan had a tendency to have nightmares, as most children his age do. They were never anything too serious, but like most children, he often needed comfort after having one. Qui-Gon made sure that if his Obi-Wan had a nightmare he would be alerted to it, so that he could send his love and comfort to the boy, via the bond. If something serious had happened to the boy, he would have known. The Jedi Master knew that his Padawan had been asleep. He would have sensed it otherwise, but when had Obi-Wan disappeared all together?

Taking a few deep breaths, Qui-Gon gathered himself for what was to come. He knew that he was going to have to contact the Jedi Council. But how was that going to look? Esteemed Jedi Master loses his Padawan after less than twenty-four hours on-planet. There was a time when Qui-Gon would not have called the Council. After he had lost his Padawan Xanatos to the Dark Side he had become bitter, harsh man who only wanted to be left alone with his work. That Qui-Gon would not have swallowed his pride to admit his failings to the Jedi Council. But things were different now. Obi-Wan had changed him from a bitter man to a man who was able to love again. He now knew that his life had meaning and that it did not end with Xanatos. While a small planet, Larbec contained many places to hold a child. If he was going to find his Padawan quickly he was going to need help.

"Jedi Council. How may I direct your call?"

"Yes. I must speak with Master Yoda immediately. It is an emergency."

"One moment," the droid replied.

True to its word, one minute later Master Yoda's voice came over the comlink. "Sensed a disturbance in the Force, I did. Problem, there is."

"Yes, Master…" Qui-Gon quickly outlined all that had occurred over the course of the day, more specifically what happened in the last three hours. "I am formally requesting back-up to help me find my Padawan and complete the mission."

"Granted, your request is. Notify teams in the area, I will. Additional teams, sent out they will be."

"Thank you, Master," the Master said, clearly relieved.

"Calm you must be, if find your Padawan you will. Helped you, he did. But a Jedi, you must be."

"I know, Master, but that is not all that easy."

"Know this, I did. But faith in you, I have."

"Thank you. I am going to start to search for Obi-Wan."

"Contact you will information, I will. May the Force be with you." And with a small wave of his hand, the connection was cut.

While Qui-Gon did feel slightly better, he was still along ways of from Jedi calm. However, he set his anxieties aside and started the search for his Padawan. Looking around the room, Qui-Gon started to look for any clues that he might have missed in his panic.

After about five minutes of searching, Qui-Gon found his first clue. He had found a piece of cloth that had been drenched in some sort of drug. When Qui-Gon took a sniff, he started to get lightheaded. That must be how they kept him asleep, Qui-Gon thought. Without a passing thought, the Master pulled out a analyzing chip. He put a small sample of the drug on the chip, which he then transmitted to the Temple for analysis. While he was waiting for the results, Qui-Gon continued to search the small room.

Qui-Gon had not found any other hints as to Obi-Wan's disappearance by the time the Temple droids commed him with the results.

"The drug that you sent us is incredibly powerful. It is made primarily up of a plant named Rignin, although it does have a few other planets in the mixture that can have effects on the body. When a Force-sensitive comes in contact with Rignin, it first falls into a deep sleep. While the person is sleepy, the drug slowly paralyzes the midi-chlorians, gradually cutting of their Force connection. The sleep lasted two to four hours and when they wake up their Force connection is completely severed. The drug lasted about 36-48 hours, after which the Force ability slowly starts to come back. However, while the Rignin is still in the body, it can cause some confusion in the victim. The other substances in the mixture are ones that aid can cause some confusion, but are primarily known for making beings more sensitive to things such as light and touch. These two wear off in about 36 hours. Do you have any further questions about this substance, Master Jinn?"

After a moment of thought, Qui-Gon replied in the negative, but asked to have his call retransmitted to his friend Tahl. She was a Jedi Master, who has been blinded in a mission some years ago. Tahl then decided to lend her services to the Jedi working as a researcher, rather than a field Jedi, although she did take missions from time to time. While the call was being transmitted, Qui-Gon tried to squelch the panic that he felt when he heard about what was now happening to his young ward. Obi-Wan was alone, with no way to use the Force. And if he was being hurt everything would hurt more than it should have… Stop. Your fears are not going to help Obi-Wan!

"Qui-Gon. I heard about Obi what have you learned?" Tahl was always one to get straight to the point.

"Obi-Wan was drugged with a plant called Rignin. I need to know if it is found in any specific regions on Larbec."

"OK. Hold on, while I run it through the computer… There. It should only take a few minutes to search. So how are you holding up?"

"I don't even know anymore, Tahl. Obi-Wan has become my whole world in the past few weeks. I can't imagine life without him anymore. And now that he's gone…I don't even know what to do. I can't stop thinking about everything that could happen to him. With no Force connection, in the hands of Force knows who. I am just so worried about him. I have to find him, Tahl. He's my whole world now…" Qui-Gon slowly tapered off as his voice started to crack. Some tough guy I am. I can't even hold it together when my Padawan has only been gone three hours," Qui-Gon thought ruefully.

A quiet voice broke into his thoughts. "Do you have idea who it could be?"

"I don't know. I guess it is probably either the Traln or the Morillo. They are the two parties that I am negotiating with. Each village only sends one representative to the negotiations, so any one of their aides could have done it. This is the only evidence I have found. I have not looked outside around the cabin yet, but I feel that this is important."

"It is important, Qui. In fact, it shows something very interesting."

"What?"

"You're wrong."

"What do you mean I am wrong?"

"I mean you are wrong. Neither the Traln nor the Morillo are responsible for this. I assuming that you know how important boundaries are to this society, since it is what brought you there." Qui-Gon just nodded. "This plant is only located in one place on the planet and it is neither within the Traln or Morillo villages. It is actually in the tribe to the south of them. The Gargednios. Rignin only grows near the center of their village, which means that no one from another tribe could have gotten it without being caught. And crossing the boundary lines without permission is a very serious offense. I believe that they must have your Padawan."

"But why? They have no motive."

"Not that you know of. I am sending you the maps of their village now. But you must be careful. If they find out that you have crossed into their land you could be in serious trouble. The good news is that the people mostly live in a corner of the village, the rest is uninhabited, but rather used for hunting. Unfortunately, that makes it much easier for them to hide him. Hold on, Master Yoda is trying to tell me something. I am sending you the maps. Stay in the line and look over them. When I finish talking to the troll, let me know if you have any questions."

Qui-Gon did as he was told, looking for secluded areas his Padawan might have been hidden.

"I am back. First of all, any questions?" Qui-Gon shook his head. "OK, then. Master Yoda has a message for you. He said to not leave the capital yet. Master Windu was only a system away when you called Master Yoda. He was just finishing up a mission and is on his way to Larbec. He should be there within an hour. Go into the territory together. Call a recess in the negotiation. Yoda is also assembling a team of Jedi to be sent out tonight. He said that he will also send a few Healers with them. I will leave you now to prepare. If you have any questions or are in need of further assistance let me know. And you will find him." And without a goodbye, Tahl cut the connection.

An hour! They expect me to wait an hour! While my Padawan is out there lost and alone!... Ok, I need to stop this isn't getting me anywhere. I have to focus and prepare.

Resigned to waiting, Qui-Gon prepared what he needed for his trip. He packed the food ration and med-pacs from both kits. He filled both canteens with water. Most importantly, he contacted the Council of Elders and postponed the negotiations until another team could get here to complete the negotiations. The Jedi Master tried to keep himself as busy as possible to prevent himself from thinking about his lost little Padawan. He knew that if he started to get to emotional involved in this then he would never find the closest thing he ever had to a son. He hoped that Mace Windu would help with that. The two Jedi certainly had their ups and downs in the long time that the two knew each other, but Qui-Gon knew that he could trust that Mace would help him get through this. His Jedi calm would also help Qui-Gon to keep his own troubled emotions in check. But despite these reassurances, Qui-Gon knew that he was going to have a hard time holding it together until his Padawan was safe in his arms. He only hoped it would be soon.


	3. The Search

Taken and Alone

Taken and Alone.

OK. Here is the third part of my four-part story. This chapter is the first that comes with a TISSUE Warning. This will stand for the last chapter as well.

Thank you to my latest reviewer **Geri K. **Thank you for your kind words. Just so you know I don't think that there will be Obi-Wan's POV in this story, but there is a sequel in the works, so who knows what the future holds.

And with that, ON WITH THE STORY!!

Chapter 3-The Search

It seemed like an eternity, but finally all of the preparations were made and they were finally ready to leave. Qui-Gon was waiting at the landing platform waiting for Mace's ship to touch ground. When the Koran Master finally stepped off of the ship, Qui-Gon had to implore all of his Jedi training to not run up to him, grab him by the arm and run for Gargednian territory.

"Qui-Gon. It is good to see you. I am only sorry that it is not under better circumstances."

"Thank you, Mace. But can we save the pleasantries. I want to start the search immediately," Qui-Gon replied in a very clipped tone, showing his impatience over finding Obi-Wan.

"Of course. Although you do know that we will be entering over a cover of darkness and that could make it more dangerous…"

"I don't care! Obi-Wan is out there all by himself and I am not wasting one more minute that I could be searching for him. I am leaving this minute and you and come with me or stay here." And with that, Qui-Gon turned on his heel and started moving toward the forest.

Mace followed his peer, staying silent, knowing that the Master needed a few moments to truly compose for what lay ahead. The two started moving through the forest, moving with a great amount of speed and purpose. After a few hours, Mace felt that Qui-Gon had settled down enough to tell him more about Obi-Wan's capture. When he asked him about it, Qui-Gon told him the whole story in a clipped, monotone voice. Mace could tell that his Qui-Gon was barely holding it all together. He wondered how a man, who had a Padawan for all of five weeks, could be so broken-hearted. But then in the six weeks that Qui-Gon knew the child, he had completely changed. He was a hard man, bitter, who often shunned human contact. But now he had become a very caring individual. The majority of this affection was only focused on one being, but it was a start. His calling the Council for help was a big step. Mace could see the impact that this child had in his life in such a short amount of time. It was no wonder he was so impatient to get him back. Mace only hoped that the child did not suffer too much. If he died, Force only knows what Qui-Gon would become. Young Kenobi would have much to endure. He was already such a small child and without the Force there was a question as to whether or not he would be able to survive. On his way to Larbec, Mace had looked up the Gargednios, at Tahl's urgings. They were the most violent group of people on the planet. They were hunters and used harsh, and often cruel, methods for killing their prey. If they were torturing Obi-Wan, it would be brutal. F course, Mace did not tell any of this to Qui-Gon. The Master was barely holding it together with the knowledge that someone had taken his Padawan. He would lose it if he knew that the people who took him were probably hurting him. And doing a good job at it too. So he kept quiet, hoping that the Force would not take this precious gift from his Master.

The two Masters arrived at the territory within a few hours of their departure from the capital. The two crossed the boarder over the cover of darkness and started to search the entire area for any sign of Obi-Wan.

The next day and a half went without much change. The two continued their search, never stopping for more than five minutes. Both Masters were starting to show signs of fatigue, but it seemed like Mace was the only one thinking about it. But he was afraid to even mention the possibly of sleep. Qui-Gon was getting more and more panicked with every passing moment. Mace knew that his counterpart would not rest until his Padawan was found. And he knew that it was up to him to help Qui-Gon hold it together until that happened. The two had not spoken more than a few words to each other in over a day, but Mace knew that Qui-Gon was feeding off of his own calm.

As the two were walking through yet another set of vines, Qui-Gon stopped. Mace stopped directly ahead of him, fear starting to invade his mind. He and Qui-Gon had been in danger since they set foot in this territory. What they were doing was illegal on this planet. It was one that they could be severely punished for. The two had already had to change their paths twice to avoid a hunting party. However, before Mace had been the one to sense them. Qui-Gon had been too focused on his lost Padawan. The fact that Qui-Gon had been the one to sense something meant that it was probably either very good or very bad. While Mace hoped for the first, he braced himself for the worst.

"Mace. I felt him. I felt Obi-Wan." Qui-Gon still sounded as if he was in shock. But at least now they might be able to get a direction of where he might be. If they kept searching like this, searching every cave and gully in the forest it could be months before he would be found.

But before Qui-Gon said anything more he sunk to the ground, with his hands covering his face. Mace suddenly, got very worried. This was the best thing that could have happened. The drug was wearing off and Obi-Wan was regaining his Force connection. Most likely it would be very weak for a few days, probably even unable to feel anything sent to him through the bond, but Qui-Gon could use the bond that they had to establish where they were keeping him. Why was Qui-Gon suddenly the picture of misery?

"Qui-Gon. What's wrong? This is wonderful. We can use the bond that the two of you have to find him."

Qui-Gon just looked up, tears glistening in his eyes. "He is pain, Mace. Terrible, horrible pain. They are torturing him. They have been ever since they took him. That is over 36 hours. And it is all my fault!"

"No. This is not your fault. There was no way that you could have known that this would happen. We still don't even know why this faction took him in the first place. It would have been cruel to make an exhausted child sit through two extra hours of negotiation. OK. This is NOT your fault. Now we will find Obi-Wan and we will get him the help that he needs, but you need to focus. The Rignin is starting to wear off. That is why you can sense him. You need to focus on the bond that the two of you have so that we can track him down using his signature. I know that it hurts, but we can't help Obi-wan if we do not know where he is."

"You're right, Mace. I know that you are right. I'm sorry. I just… Why would anyone want to hurt him?"

"I don't know. But we can't think of that now. Which way is he?"

Without another word, Qui-Gon stood up and walked to the right. His pace had greatly increased, on the verge of running. Mace had to admit that he was shocked at the small emotional outburst that Qui-Gon had showed, but was impressed at how fast he had worked through it. Mace had had a Padawan. He knew how hard it could be to feel your partner's pain through the bond and not being able to do anything about it. And it must have been so much worse for Qui-Gon, whose partner was a child who had done nothing wrong. It was also hard to see pain and suffering in this galaxy, but the pain of a child was always so much worse. He silently moved beside his peer as the two worked at a furious pace to find Qui-Gon's Padawan.

After about two hours of moving to the northeast, Qui-Gon stopped again. Mace waited until Qui-Gon could pull himself together enough to speak. The past two hours had been very hard on Qui-Gon, feeling the agony that his ward was in, but not being able to do anything about it. Obi-Wan's connection to the Force was so weak that he would not feel anything through the bond that he shared with his Master. The two Masters were almost lucky that Qui-Gon was able to feel the boy at all. Without a word, Qui-Gon moved to the edge of the cliff that was about a hundred paces to the left. It overlooked a beautiful valley that contained all different types of trees that seemed to be reaching for the sky. The scene was one that person could stare at for hours, but now was most certainly not the time. Mace followed Qui-Gon to the edge of the cliff, as Qui-Gon was pulling out his cable launcher. Anchoring it to the soft, marshy ground, he motioned for Mace to do the same. When he had, Qui-Gon pointed down over the edge of the cliff. Mace looked over and saw a two-mile drop to the floor. However, there was a small outcropping. It was small, one that the two would have overlooked, if they did not know how to track Obi-Wan. It was small though, barely big enough for the two of them to land on. He wondered how they had hidden there. Shooting Qui-Gon a questioning glance, Qui-Gon mouthed back 'cave.' Knowing that the opening most certainly opened up, the two Jedi prepared to repel down to the outcropping, ready for whatever lay within.

Landing on the small slab of rock, Qui-Gon and Mace quickly moved through the dark cave, using lightsabers for illumination. The two had no idea what they would find, but they would meet whatever it was. Silently, the two walked down the length of the cave. The walls were damp and the whole thing smelled of stale water. This only furthered Qui-Gon's need to find his lost Padawan. They walked about a mile, before they heard it. It was soft and any one without Force-enhanced senses probably would not have heard it. But as soft as it was it ripped through Qui-Gon's heart like nothing else could. It was crying. Not the crying of someone mourning a death or a scared child after a nightmare, but cry of someone who was in pain. A lot of pain. Qui-Gon knew that it was his Padawan and the knowledge made his heart stop. Mace must have sensed his distress, because he put a comforting hand on his shoulder. After a moment, the two moved forward. Soon the two saw light coming from behind a stone door. It was faint, but it was there. The Masters did not see any lever or knob to open the door, so they dug their lightsabers into the stone, preparing to face the enemies that no doubt lay beyond the door. Melting a hole in the door, Qui-Gon was the first to jump through, Mace hot on his heels. However, the attack that they were expecting never came. They found themselves in a cold, but brightly lit stone room. It looked to be storage for hunting equipment, more specifically flying creatures by the looks of it.

But there was only one person in the room and it was dirty, bleeding boy chained to a wall. Qui-Gon immediately ran over to his Padawan. All four of his limbs were chained to big metal rings attached to the wall. Qui-Gon had a feeling that it would not be long before his capturers returned, so they had to move quickly. Obi-Wan looked to be unconscious, but tears tracks were fresh on his face. This did not surprise the Master, after taking a look at his Padawan. The child was injured and he would need immediate medical attention. Taking a moment to touch the child's face, he ran a probe on the child's body. The injuries were bad, but he would live as long as he got help soon. At the gentle touch, Obi-Wan awoke. He immediately started to thrash in his bonds, trying to get away from the unknown person in front of him. Qui-Gon noticed this with alarm. The child did not know who he was. Qui-Gon put his hands on the boy to stop him from thrashing and to try and get him to realize that he was going to be fine.

Obi-Wan soon stopped moving, probably more out of exhaustion than anything. But he still refused to open his eyes. Qui-Gon wanted nothing more than to see those big bluish-greenish eyes once more, so he tried simply calling him. "Padawan."

At that, Obi-Wan's eyelids started to move, opening just a crack. But after seeing who was crouched down in front of him, his eyes opened all the way. "M..Mas..Master?"

His voice sounded so helpless and yet so hopeful that tears came to Qui-Gon's eyes. "Yes, my little one, it is me. What do you say we get you out of here?"

"I didn't… think that y.. you would f..f..find me."

"I will always find you. Now I am going to cut you down, Ok?" At the small boy's nod, he reduced the power on his lightsaber, efficiently cutting the bonds that held the boy. But when he got to the chain that held his left leg, Obi-Wan screamed in pain. A more in-depth scan showed that his tibia had been broken in at least six places. Some of which were complete breaks, where the bones no longer connected. It would probably take surgery to repair it, not that Qui-Gon was especially worried about that now. Motioning to Mace, who was keeping watch he told him to find a brace for Obi-Wan's leg, while he finished cutting him down. Mace did as he was told and then went back to keeping watch.

Qui-Gon gently laid his newly free Padawan on the floor so that he could splint his leg with the metal stripes that Mace had found. Obi-Wan shivered in his damp clothes and Qui-Gon knew that lying on the stone floor was not helping that. The Master shed his own robe and draped it across the shivering child. That done, he turned his focus back on Obi-Wan's leg. While he was finishing up the splint, Obi-Wan started to talk again. "Don't leave…'kay."

That small voice stopped Qui-Gon's actions. "Never, little one. I am so, so sorry. This never should have happened." Obi-Wan seemed to stop listening after his Master promised not to leave. He reached out from under his Master's cloak and took his Master's closest arm in the strongest grip he could muster. His other hand was just as tightly clenched in the cloak now wrapped around him. Qui-Gon's heart thought it was going to break. This child that he had left to get captured had forgiven him so willingly, treating him like the only lifeline he had. Just as he was finished splinting Obi-Wan's leg, Mace motioned to him. Reaching out to the Force, Qui-Gon sensed what Mace had. The people who had taken his Padawan were returning. Quickly, Qui-Gon picked his Padawan off the floor and balanced him on one hip, repositioning the robe around Obi-Wan's thin shoulders and back. At Obi-Wan's soft cry of protest, Qui-Gon realized how much pain the child must be in. Reaching into his survival pack, he got out a hypo and injected the powerful painkillers into his Padawan, who immediately fell asleep. Making sure that his numerous injuries were not being aggravated, Qui-Gon activated his lightsaber and walked toward Mace. Together the two quickly moved back to the cave opening.

They were about halfway there when the first arrow was fired. It was a weapon that was commonly used for hunting. Mace quickly deflected the arrows with his lightsaber, as Qui-Gon moved Obi-Wan closer to safety. The shots were soon coming continuously, but Mace and Qui-Gon were able to prevent them from hitting their target. The three Jedi had reached the mouth of the cave by the time their attackers were close enough to see. They were definitely Gargednio, wearing the same tattoos and robes as their Elder wore in the negotiations. Qui-Gon quickly attached the cable launcher to his back of his belt, preparing to go up the cliff backwards, in order to protect the small Jedi laying on his chest, from accidentally hitting the rocks. He activated his launcher and climbed over the edge of cliff, once again on safe ground. Mace was soon to follow.

"Come on, Qui-Gon. We need to leave. They know that we are in their territory. It will not be as safe to get out, if we do not leave right now." Qui-Gon agreed with Mace and rose to start the long trip back to the capital. It would be a six-hour walk, if they did not have to stop for anything, but it was possible that they would need to with an injured Jedi. Together the two Masters started their long trip.


	4. Home

Taken and Alone

OK. Here it is! The last chapter of my very first fanfic. This has a tissue warning attached.

This story will have a sequel that will be posted here relatively soon. It is entitled "Broken, but Together" and it will focus on Obi-Wan's recovery from the torture he endured in this story. Be sure to check it out!

Once again, thank you so much to my reviewers!!

**Geri K-**Thank you so much! But come on, I could not leave Obi-Wan kidnapped. That would be horrible and I do not think that I have the heart for it. Besides, if they did not find him, how could we get to the best part: MUSH!! Thanks for reading.

**black-and-white-stockings**-Thank you so much. I hope that the last part is satisfying.

And now the conclusion of "Taken and Alone"

Chapter 4-Home

After he and Mace started their journey and he had settled into the pace, Qui-Gon turned all of his energy to the young being in his arms. Obi-Wan was in a deep sleep, caused by a mix of exhaustion and pain. Qui-Gon was very disturbed at how many injures his Padawan had. Besides the leg, he had a few cracked ribs, a fractured right wrist, a broken clavicle and numerous bruises and cuts of varying depth. The young apprentice was also getting sick from the dampness of the cave. The Master knew that it was lucky Obi-Wan was not in more critical condition. It was clear that he had been severely beaten, but there was no internal bleeding and no life-threatening injuries. It would be a very long road to recovery, especially with the surgery and therapy that his left leg would require. Qui-Gon was also worried about the boy's mental state. The boy had endured a lot over the last two days and he seemed very unwilling to let Qui-Gon go. The Master feared that the child might be afraid of being left alone. Not that this was the worst thing in the world. Qui-Gon felt that he might not be so wiling to leave the boy alone, for a while at least. He would just have to see how they both handled things when they were back on Coruscant. He unconsciously strengthened his grip on the boy, as he moved faster through the forest.

The Jedi were silent throughout the majority of the trip back to the capital city. They had to change course multiple times to avoid the groups of Gargednians that were now sweeping the territory searching for their captive and his rescuers. However, they did not manage to run into any groups. The Jedi only stopped for water breaks. It was especially important to keep Obi-Wan hydrated in his weakened state. He was probably not given any nourishment during his capture, making his last meal two days ago. Qui-Gon did his best to push his young apprentice to drink, but it was hard with Obi-Wan drifting between sleep and unconsciousness.

About an hour away from the border and an hour and a half away from the cabin, Mace's comlink went off. The two masters stopped walking as Mace went to answer to incoming call. Qui-Gon took the time to once again try to pour some water down Obi-Wan's throat. "Obi-Wan. Wake up, little one. Time for some water." Qui-Gon's voice seemed to break the child out of his slumber. Opening his eyes, he gave Qui-Gon a small smile, his eyes bright as ever.

"You did not leave me."

"Oh, my child. I told you that I would not leave you."

"I know. But, it's just…I was all alone. I don't want to alone anymore."

"You won't be." Even as he said this, Qui-Gon knew that his suspicion was correct: Obi-Wan had developed a fear of being alone. Not that anyone could blame him after this. "Come on, Padawan. Sit up and drink some water." Obi-Wan did as he was instructed, but then slumped back down to the ground as soon as he had enough. It was clear that these injuries were taking a hard toll on the boy. "Go back to sleep, little one; and when you wake up we will be going home." Obi-Wan just gave a small smile as he tightened his grip his Master and the robe that covered him. Soon he was back asleep. Qui-Gon knew that it was going to take a lot before Obi-Wan was once again the bright, happy unafraid child that he had been, but he would get there. Qui-Gon would make sure of it.

His thoughts were interrupted as Mace came back to Qui-Gon. "That was Eeth Koth. He is in the atmosphere. Koth and his Padawan Sharad Hett will take over the negotiations while we take your Padawan back to Coruscant. Winna Di Uni is with him and she will take care of him on the way back to Coruscant. We need to go. They are going to meet us at the edge of the territory." Qui-Gon just nodded as he prepared his Padawan of the last leg of the journey.

True to their word, when Mace, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan arrived at the edge of the territory, Eeth, Sharad and Winna were waiting, with their transport. The first priority among all of the Jedi was to get Obi-Wan safely aboard the ship and looked over by Winna. While all Jedi had medical training, Qui-Gon was no healer and he was anxious for his Padawan to be looked over by someone with skill in that area. Once aboard, Qui-Gon unwillingly left Obi-Wan in a private room so that he could be checked out by Winna. She would tend to him, while he gave Koth all of the information he needed to finish the negotiations.

Qui-Gon, Mace, Eeth and Sharad all sat around a table in the ship's lounge, sipping the tea that Sharad had made. Qui-Gon started to relay all of the information about the tribes that we arguing over the land and how he thought the situation could best be resolved. He also briefly talked about the tribe that had captured Obi-Wan and the lack of a known motive. All during the talk, it was evident to all of the other Jedi that Qui-Gon was not really paying attention to his surroundings. All of his attention was on the being in the next room.

Once all of the basic information was relayed, Eeth tried asking a few questions to get a better sense of how Qui-Gon was doing. The Jedi truly looked horrible, as it was clear that he had not slept or eaten since his Padawan had been captured. Eeth had been in this type of situation before and he knew how easy it was to forget about taking care of oneself when one's Padawan was hurt or sick. But all of his best attempts were met with one-word answers and blank stares.

Suddenly a piercing scream cut through the awkward silence in the lounge. Qui-Gon raced to the room where he left Obi-Wan, the other Jedi not far behind. Bursting through the door, what Qui-Gon saw stopped his heart. His poor Padawan was sitting up in his bed, panting, sweating, with tears streaking down the small face. But what really went straight through Qui-Gon was the look of sheer terror on his Padawan's face. It stopped him in his tracks for second. His Padawan had always been so brave. He had never seen Obi-Wan this scared before. That thought put Qui-Gon back into action. He very briskly walked over to his Padawan, taking the child in his arms. Qui-Gon did a quick scan of his Padawan to make sure that this was not caused by anything physical, although he doubted it since the child was being taken care of by a Master Healer. His suspicions proved to be correct. This was a deep-seated emotional pain brought on by the trauma that he had endured. Qui-Gon had yet to find out the details of what happened to his Padawan, but it had clearly impacted the child. While Obi-Wan had settled down somewhat when his Master had taken him into his arms, but he was still crying, silent sobs wracking the young body. Qui-Gon started to rock the young one back and forth, murmuring soft words of comfort. Soon the sobs started to subside, but Qui-Gon could sense that the child was not going to let him go anytime soon. Not the way that he was gripping the Master's tunic. Knowing that the position was not good for the injured boy, Qui-repositioned himself so that has was leaning up against the headboard, while Obi-Wan was half on top of him, half next to him. The Master continued to utter soft words of comfort to the child, until the sobs ceased. Eventually, Obi-Wan did stop crying. When he did so, he tilted his head up to look at his Master.

"You left me."

"No, my little one. I would never, ever leave you. You need to believe that. You are my Padawan and I will NOT leave you. Ok?"

"Then where were you? I woke up and you were not here," Obi-Wan's small voice cracking, once again on the verge of tears.

"Oh, my child. No. I was just outside talking with Mace and Eeth Koth, while Winna checked you over. You know that healing is not my strength and I wanted to give Winna some space while she made she that you were OK."

"Oh, OK. But…but can you, um, not leave again?"

"I think that I can manage that. Now close you eyes and get some rest. I will be here when you wake up." Sending a subtle Force suggestion to his Padawan, Obi-Wan was soon in the deep throes of healing slumber.

Holding his Padawan closer, Qui-Gon thought about the last few days and how they had impacted him. He had always been fond of the small child, which was to be expected, since he was his Padawan. But looking back, the Jedi Master was shocked at just how panicked he got when Obi-Wan went missing. He had only been gone for a few hours and it had sent him into a panic. It had shocked him. He had never been this scared before, not even when Xanatos had been captured. All Padawans were captured at least a few times during their apprenticeship. It went with the territory. Obi-Wan was probably going to be captured many times in his apprenticeship and, unfortunately, he was probably going to be hurt much worse than he already was. Suddenly, that thought became the most terrifying thought that Qui-Gon ever had. Without a second thought, the Master pulled his Padawan closer to him, taking care not to wake him or aggravate his injuries.

His musings were interrupted by Winna's gentle hand on his shoulder. She had been on the opposite side of the room, giving the Master and Padawan the time that they needed. Now that Obi-Wan was asleep she could update his Master on the injuries that the child sustained.

"Qui-Gon. I need to speak with you about your Padawan's condition."

"Will he be alright?"

"Yes. It will take some time, but he should be fine. I have wrapped his ribs and his collarbone and applied bone knitters. They should be healed in about a week. I also wrapped his wrist. He woke up when I was finishing that, and you know what the reaction was. I need to clean out his cuts. As you know, his worst injury was his leg. That will be the hardest to heal. I have stabilized it as much as possible and applied some bone knitters, but he is going to need surgery. Once we land on Coruscant, he will need to get a rod put in his leg so that it heals properly. That will probably take over month to heal, but as long as there are no complications, he should be fine. He is a very lucky boy, especially when you consider everything that must have happened to him."

Swallowing the acid that had risen in his throat, Qui-Gon reluctantly asked the question that had been on his mind for some time. "Do you know what happened to him? What he was…hurt with?"

"I have some guesses, yes. But are you sure you want to know?"

"I have to."

"Very well. Everything that your Padawan was hurt with must be been relatively primitive. There are no blaster wounds, electro-whip marks, vibroshiv injuries. Everything is much more basic, which is probably one of the reasons that the little one survived. I have to believe that most of his injuries came from his getting beat up. He had some defensive wounds and there are no marks that one commonly sees with a weapon. I think that only time an actual weapon was used was on his leg. It looks like he was hit with a stick or a rod of some sort. You should be proud of your Padawan. He seems to have survived a lot of abuse and I believe that he did fight back. He was just too small to make a difference," Winna finished softly. "I know that the two of you need each other right now, so I will leave you be. If you need anything, just yell." And with that Winna walked out of the room, leaving the Master to think about all that was said.

He was very proud of his Padawan. Obi-Wan had obviously been very brave during this ordeal. A real Jedi. He thought back to only a few days prior, when the boy was practically bouncing off of the walls, acting more boy than Jedi. There was a part of the Master that never wanted his Obi-Wan to grow up. For him to stay young forever. Of course, this was not befitting of a Jedi. Obi-Wan needed to grow and learn in the ways of the Force. But that part of Qui-Gon wanted his Padawan to stay that hyperactive boy forever. But why? This boy is my Padawan. It is my job to teach him and him to grow. It is part of my job to make sure that he reaches adulthood. For me to want him to stay young is unnatural. It is too…parental, Qui-Gon realized with a shock. I see Obi-Wan as my son.

The logical part of his brain told him that Obi-Wan was not his son, but his heart did not listen. Qui-Gon realized that this boy was more like his son then anything else. He loved the child as his own, putting his own safety behind the boy's. That would explain why he was so panicked for his safety, why he let the child be a kid before a Jedi. He had even encouraged that on a few occasions. Obi-Wan had been a quiet child, when he had taken him on, but Qui-Gon had broken him out of that quickly, by pushing him for details about his classes and friends. Soon the boy looked forward to telling his Master about his day, with an enthusiasm that could only be seen in youth. Qui-Gon knew that he was going to have to reign in these emotions. It was not natural. He was going to have to train this boy and it was probably going to be harsh at times. Training to be a Jedi was a hard task and it required a certain amount of strictness. Somehow, Qui-Gon could not think of that when he small ward was lying in his lap, bruised and injured. All he could think of was getting Obi-Wan back to the Temple and healed physically and mentally. There would be time for strictness later. Now he could be the overprotective father that his heart wanted so badly to be. And with those parental thoughts running through Qui-Gon's head, the Jedi fell asleep, his Padawan still safe in his arms.

Qui-Gon was brought out his deep sleep by slight movements against his side. Instantly coming out of his slumber, his focus settled on the being that was lying there. Obi-Wan was sweating and tossing as much as injuries would allow. He had also started to moan in his sleep. The Padawan was having a nightmare. Knowing that his Padawan's Force connection was still too weak to receive a message, Qui-Gon started to physically shake his Padawan, trying not to hurt him further. "Obi-Wan! Wake up, child. You are having a nightmare. Wake up!"

With one more forceful shake, Obi-Wan broke free of his dream, gasping in lungfuls of air, the look of fear still etched in his face. Almost immediately, Obi-Wan started frantically searching for the one thing that would give him comfort. He did not have to look long, seeing his Master's face gazing down at him, full of concern. Obi-Wan sagged against his Master and started to cry. Qui-Gon, not at all shocked at how much the past few days affected the child, just held him, rocking him back and forth and rubbing soft, slow circles on his back. Once the tears abated, Qui-Gon sensed that the child did feel a little better.

"Obi-Wan. Do you want to talk about your nightmare? It will help make you feel better if you talk about it."

The Padawan immediately shook his head and started to rant to a small panicked voice. "I don't what to talk about it! Please don't make me talk about it. I will be a good Padawan. Just don't make me talk about it. Please." By the end of this rant, Obi-Wan was tucked in next to his Master' tunic, tears pouring from his eyes.

"Shh, little one. Hush. It's alright. You don't have to talk about anything if you don't want to. I would never make you do something like that. I just wanted you to know that I was here if you were ready to talk. But it is OK, if you're not. Now what is this about you not being a good Jedi? You are a wonderful Jedi and you have been very brave over the past few days. I know that your first mission did not exactly go as planned, but you did a wonderful job. Why do you think that you are not a good Padawan?"

"Because Jedi are not suppose to cry," Obi-Wan replied, obviously still fighting to keep the rest of his tears from flowing.

"Everyone needs to cry every now and again. Even Jedi. You are only reacting as your mind needs to. To do any different would be dangerous. Ok?" Obi-Wan just nodded, putting his small head against the wet spot on Qui-Gon's cloak where his tears collected. "When you are ready, we can talk. For now, why don't you try going back to sleep?"

"No. I don't want to go back to sleep!"

"Why not, little one? Are you afraid that you will have another nightmare?" Obi-Wan just gave a tight nod. "What if I tell you a story? Then will you go to sleep?"

"But what if I have another nightmare?"

"Then I will be right here to wake you up. Please, Obi-Wan. You need to rest."

"Ok. But make it a good story."

" I think that can be arranged. Now lie back down and stay still. So here is your story. There was a man…"

"You forgot 'Once upon a time…'"

"Oh, sorry about that. Ok. Once upon a time there was a knight. It was his job to keep the evil driagons away from the Kingdom. The kingdom was run by one of the wisest men in the galaxy and he used to fend off evil by himself. However, as he got on in years he had another take his place on the battlefield, while he reigned. There was great peace in the kingdom and the Knight made sure that the darkness did not break that happiness. But the Knight was not happy. He had fought the dark for many years and he found that all of his dealings with dark had changed him. He no longer liked what he did. He got no joy when the peasants thanked him for his work. He got no sense of purpose as he fought to keep the evil at bay. He just went through his life, without a purpose. But then one day the Knight got the call to save a small village from a driagon attack. When he got there the village was almost completely destroyed. The knight went about his job, fighting off the driagons as fast as possible, in order to save what survivors were left. When the attackers were dead, the knight moved through the village, finding it to be completely destroyed, much like his heart. But then the knight heard a soft cry coming from some wreckage. Briskly walking over, he found a small child walking out of the wreckage. It was a small boy with big blue eyes He was young and looking around, he found that the child was now alone. Not wanting to leave the child alone in the remains, he took the child to his quarters in the castle. It was there that the child stayed, learning from the knight and the others in the castle. Soon the knight realized that something changed. He no longer dreaded getting up in the morning. He found that he wanted to fight off of the defenders, because now he had something to fight for. He now had a son." Looking down, Qui-Gon found that his story had indeed put his Padawan to sleep. "Thank you, Obi-Wan. You have given me everything and you will never even now it. Rest now and I will be here when you wake."

**EPLIOGUE **

The next week and a half had passed relatively quickly. Obi-Wan was taken in to surgery as soon as they landed on Coruscant. The rod had been successfully implanted in his leg and, while it would take some time and therapy, he would make a full recovery.

On the second day back at the Temple, Qui-Gon had received a transmission from Eeth. They had found the people responsible for taking Obi-Wan and they had discovered why they done it. The Gargednios believed that they deserved a piece of the land that the Traln and Morillo were fighting over. However, because of they were so much more violent then the other tribes, they were put at a distance in the negotiations, making it impossible for their plea to be heard. They had captured Obi-Wan as a bargaining chip. They thought that the next day they would admit to taking Obi-Wan and then using that to make their case heard. It had also explained why Obi-Wan had not been hurt too badly. They did not want him dead. Eeth also learned that Obi-Wan only would have had some cuts and bruises, but the night after he had been captured, the people holding him got drunk and they beat him in their stupor. That was the only time he was beaten, but it was enough. Eeth was still in negotiations with the tribes and charges might be filled with Gargednios, but everything was still being worked out.

Qui-Gon should have cared about this. But somehow he just didn't. All he cared about was getting his Padawan well again. Unfortunately, that was proving to be a difficult road. Though he was healing physically, Obi-Wan was having a very hard time dealing with his emotions that went along with the torture. He refused to talk about what had happened to him and the repression was causing severe nightmares. Obi-Wan also had a fear of being left alone, since that was what started this. Qui-Gon could not leave his Padawan's room without him getting scared. His young mind had been very scarred by this. However, while Qui-Gon was concerned, he knew that this was something that they would overcome. The boy had proven himself to be very strong and he would get past this, with his Master's help.

It was true that Obi-Wan's first mission had not gone as planned, but they rarely did. This would not be the first mission that Qui-Gon was on that had turned ugly and it most certainly would not be the last. Qui-Gon had recently found himself looking to the future, when all of the fears were gone, all but a distant memory. And they would face that future together, not just as Master and Padawan, but also as Father and Son.

The End

Thank you very much for reading. I hope that you enjoyed and remember the sequel to be posted, hopefully, within the next few weeks.


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